LOSS OF AN EYE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 September 1938, Page 6

LOSS OF AN EYE

DARGAVILLE GIRL AWARDED DAMAGES. STRUCK BY PELLET FROM AIR RIFLE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. For the loss of her right eye as the result of an air rifle accident, a Dargaville girl, Joyce Manning, through her father, claimed £56 special and £2OOO general damages before Mr Justice Quilliam in the Supreme Court today. It was claimed that when cycling along Victoria Street, Dargaville, in June last year, she was struck in the right eye by a pellet from an air rifle fired by Douglas Bagby, sou of James Bagby, Gasworks Manager 1 (the defendant in the case) and that defendant was negligent in not taking adequate steps to prevent his son from using the rifle. Plaintiff sU id she had lost the sight of her right eye. No defence was filed. “No amount I could award would compensate this unfortunate girl. She has suffered not only the loss of an eye, but disfigurement, said Mr Justice Quilliam, after hearing evidence and awarding £56 special and £1,500 general damages with costs. “I trust this will not be a Pyrrhic victory,” remarked his Honour to Mr Spense, counsel for plaintiff.